When U.S. ladies’s nationwide group coach Emma Hayes introduced her roster for this month’s SheBelieves Cup, I am positive I wasn’t the one one rapidly scanning for Sophia Wilson’s title.
Because it occurs, Wilson was “not prepared” following the beginning of her baby, based on Hayes. Mallory Swanson is not within the roster both, following the beginning of her baby, which makes Trinity Rodman the lone current member of the Triple Espresso frontline. Toss within the injured Catarina Macario, and you’ve got a USWNT assault that is removed from full power.
Nonetheless, the attacking gamers deeper down the USWNT’s depth chart will not be the one ones with a possibility to impress their supervisor this window. Forward of subsequent summer season’s Girls’s World Cup, Hayes is constant to judge the participant pool, even going as far as to name in two gamers who made their debut in January’s camp. Add in a fierce competitors for the beginning left again spot — one formalized by Crystal Dunn’s retirement — and there is little doubt that World Cup roster spots are up for grabs within the outfield.
With Hayes eyeing this three-game window as a method to “replicate the group stage of a FIFA event,” the stakes on the SheBelieves Cup may very well be excessive for the gamers who have not but solidified their standing with the group.
So, let’s assess the USWNT’s newbies — the eight outfield gamers with fewer than seven caps referred to as up for the March matches — who’ve hopes of enjoying in FIFA’s largest event subsequent summer season. After all, all three goalkeepers in camp are inexperienced, too, with lower than eight caps. Every one hopes to take the reins from Alyssa Naeher following her worldwide retirement, however the goalkeeper scenario is a bit totally different than what is going on on with the outfield gamers.
Earlier than the USWNT kicks off the SheBelieves Cup on Sunday towards Argentina, let’s dig into what the contemporary faces within the outfield carry to the desk — and whether or not they have a shot of representing the U.S. on the World Cup.
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Jameese Joseph, striker, Chicago Stars FC (2 caps)
There are few gamers within the USWNT’s pool with extra untapped potential than Jameese Joseph. The 23-year-old attacker has put in two seasons of laborious work in Chicago with comparatively little payoff (as is the customized for Stars’ gamers), till she earned her first cap for the U.S. towards Italy final November.
It is within the distinction between her positioning within the Italy match and in her second cap (a begin towards Chile final month) that we will spot Joseph’s budding skill. Used for granted winger towards Italy and as a striker towards Chile, Joseph was far simpler enjoying as a No. 9. After all, the standard of the opponent and the size of her run out each performed a component in making Joseph’s January outing extra productive. However with spectacular back-to-goal play, and the power to create her personal shot by spinning off a middle again, Joseph seems to be extra pure as a real striker.
Jameese Joseph will get her first worldwide purpose in her first USWNT begin 💫 pic.twitter.com/YOpRPzMIz3
— B/R Soccer (@brfootball) January 28, 2026
Joseph is simpler turning towards central defenders and mixing in tight areas than she is dribbling previous opposing fullbacks and enjoying the ultimate ball, however her versatility makes her doubtlessly interesting possibility for Hayes.
Probabilities of making the World Cup: It will take an damage to Macario or Wilson — together with enjoying extra standout minutes with the nationwide group — to see Joseph at subsequent yr’s World Cup. But when she’s in a position to play as a striker each weekend for Chicago, speedy enchancment is within the playing cards.
Maddie Dahlien, left winger/left again, Seattle Reign FC (2 caps)
After incomes her first two caps final month, Maddie Dahlien is again for extra. Although she was listed as a ahead in U.S. Soccer’s most up-to-date roster announcement, the 21-year-old was used as a left again off the bench towards each Paraguay and Chile.
No matter her particular place (she performed all around the left flank for Seattle in her rookie NWSL marketing campaign), Dahlien is at her greatest sprinting up the left, slicing inside on her dominant proper foot, and dribbling previous opponents. Based on American Soccer Evaluation, she completed third within the NWSL amongst beginning exterior backs in worth added by dribbling in 2025.
Probabilities of making the World Cup: With out the identical scoring chops and artistic imaginative and prescient as a few of her attacking friends, it is uncertain Dahlien will crack the U.S. squad as a ahead subsequent summer season. She could have a greater probability making it as an outdoor again, however her left-sided deployment as a right-footer might make her an ungainly match, even other than her inconsistent one-v-one defending. A powerful SheBelieves Cup might change issues, however Dahlien seems to be like a participant price monitoring at membership stage greater than she seems to be like a roster lock.
Riley Jackson, central midfielder, North Carolina Braveness (1 cap)
There’s just a little little bit of Lily Yohannes in Riley Jackson’s recreation. Whereas it would sound odd to check a extra senior participant to their junior (bear in mind, Yohannes is simply 18!), it is easy to identify each gamers’ progressive passing instincts. Jackson, 20, has turn into a standout in North Carolina on the again of her really distinctive distribution. She confirmed properly in her first and solely nationwide group cap thus far, beginning in final month’s win over Chile.
A real distributor in central midfield, Jackson can hit nearly any go. Able to turning out of stress and enjoying lengthy diagonal switches, well-weighted line-breakers, and devastating by balls with each ft, Jackson is unattainable to disregard. She additionally brings defensive effort and fast reactions in transition to the desk.
Riley Jackson 🤝Manaka Matsukubo
Manaka will get her seventh of the season for the Braveness pic.twitter.com/iGLZIChiqc
— Nationwide Girls’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 5, 2025
Probabilities of making the World Cup: Although she’s not fairly as easy on the ball as Yohannes, Jackson is without doubt one of the prime younger prospects within the U.S. pool. Nobody ought to bat an eye fixed if she finally ends up on the World Cup over the group of No. 8 choices Hayes has tried because the Olympics.
Gisele Thompson, proper again, Angel Metropolis FC (5 caps)
You understand the title … however Gisele Thompson is not simply Alyssa Thompson’s youthful sister. She’s a really elite participant in her personal proper, one who might find yourself being much more impactful on the nationwide group stage than Alyssa.
With 5 caps to her title at age 20, Thompson ought to have the within monitor to serving as Emily Fox’s backup at proper again on a full-strength U.S. squad. It may not be for much longer earlier than she’s pushing Fox for beginning minutes, both.
A very elite NWSL proper again, Thompson can do all of it in possession. She was one of the best dribbling exterior again within the league final yr, as per American Soccer Evaluation’ goals-added metric, and might beat an opponent earlier than hitting an correct cross from excessive and huge on the fitting. However, and that is essential given how Hayes typically makes use of her fullbacks, Thompson also can sit deeper as an auxiliary middle again. It was from that extra reserved place that the younger defender notched this downright absurd help for the U.S. final month:
Ally Sentnor will get her second of the night time vs. Paraguay ✌️ pic.twitter.com/IjTKaP8GJX
— B/R Soccer (@brfootball) January 25, 2026
Whereas Thompson struggles to win aerial duels, having posted a meager 12.5% win proportion on these duels final yr, she’s an engaged one-v-one defender. Along with her elite attacking output, she may very well be forgiven for slacking a bit on the different finish — however she would not. She’s engaged in each part of play.
Probabilities of making the World Cup: There hasn’t been a younger defensive participant within the U.S. pool with as a lot promise as Thompson since Naomi Girma. At this price, she’ll be on the World Cup.
Lilly Reale, left again, Gotham FC (6 caps)
One other left again vying for the beginning job, Lilly Reale has extra nationwide group publicity than Wiesner to the tune of six caps.
Like Wiesner, she’s a naturally left-footed participant, a trait that Hayes appears to worth in her left backs. Nonetheless, of the 2, Reale is the extra well-rounded participant. There merely are no main holes within the 22-year-old’s recreation, which is a feat for a participant who simply completed her inaugural NWSL season.
In protection, Reale has good measurement, power, and velocity to carry issues down within the huge areas. In possession, she will keep deep and construct according to the middle backs or she will put into the attacking line and contribute there.
Probabilities of making the World Cup: Reale is not a lock, however her odds look fairly robust. Although she’s not really elite at something at this stage of her younger profession, Reale is nice at nearly all the pieces. That reality might see her proceed to begin for the U.S. for the foreseeable future.
Kennedy Wesley, middle again, San Diego Wave FC (3 caps)
Past Girma and Emily Sonnett, there are roster spots up for grabs within the USWNT’s middle again group. Kennedy Wesley is without doubt one of the names vying for Hayes’ favor in that a part of the sector.
The 24-year-old San Diego starter debuted for the nationwide group in October of final yr and has earned regular call-ups since. Whether or not with the Wave or with america, it is Wesley’s rangy defending that stands out as one of the best a part of her recreation.
With sharp timing, velocity, and power, Wesley can clear up messes behind the backline as wanted and thrives in one-v-one defensive moments. For the nationwide group, she’s performed on each side of central protection and brings a succesful passing vary to the desk with each ft.
Probabilities of making the World Cup: Whereas Wesley is a high-floor participant, she is not an elite possession initiator and may be outdone within the air. She’s additional in direction of the again of the middle again pack than the entrance.
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Kate Wiesner, left again, Washington Spirit (3 caps)
Initially included on the SheBelieves Cup roster however eliminated because of damage, we have nonetheless included Kate Wiesner within the ranks right here, largely as a result of Hayes appears to have her in consideration for future minutes. Nonetheless, that she’ll miss out this window is a blow — however a boon to substitute participant Avery Patterson.
Once you watch Kate Wiesner, there’s one factor that jumps out at you greater than the rest: she will whip a ball into the field. The 25-year-old, who has three caps with the nationwide group, was instantly handed set piece alternatives upon her debut in November. Wiesner’s spectacular deliveries have been on show for the Spirit during the last two seasons, too.
A naturally left-footed participant, she’s been used as a stay-at-home left again by Hayes with the U.S., getting the possibility to interrupt traces from deeper areas earlier than arriving within the last third to serve a ball into the field. Past her service, Wiesner is extra restricted, missing standout dynamism going ahead or distinctive defending monitoring again.
Probabilities of making the World Cup: With a full-on competitors for the USWNT’s beginning left again job, Wiesner is at the least within the operating for minutes after the SheBelieves Cup. Nonetheless, Hayes has different choices that seem to extra possible as Lilly Reale, Patterson, and others have the sting there, and Wiesner’s ill-timed damage price her an opportunity to point out what she will do on the SheBelieves Cup.
Jordyn Bugg, middle again, Seattle Reign FC (6 caps)
“Jordyn Bugg, I have been actually clear that she’s a participant I see as the longer term for the group.”
That is incredibly high praise from Hayes, nevertheless it’s additionally warranted — and it is a disgrace that the rising defender needed to withdraw from the unique roster because of damage. However like Wiesner, we have nonetheless included her right here as a result of she made the preliminary roster and which means she components into Hayes’ estimations.
The second-youngest participant within the unique SheBelieves squad after Yohannes, the 19-year-old middle again performs to this point past her years. After making her USWNT debut final June, the Seattle defender has amassed six caps due to her spectacular defensive skill.
Bugg, who began 24 of a doable 26 video games within the NWSL common season final yr, is an impressive one-v-one defender. She positions herself properly, stays affected person, occasions her challenges, and has loads of power to muscle opposing attackers off the ball.
Bugg is nice, if not dominant, within the air and is snug enjoying as both a right- or left-sided middle again. There’s room for the teen to turn into a contact extra bold on the ball, however she’s already a talented line-breaking passer and might progress possession on the dribble, too.
Probabilities of making the World Cup: Bugg may be very unlikely to unseat Sonnett as Girma’s companion earlier than subsequent summer season and is a number of years youthful than Wesley, Tara Rudd (née McKeown), and others on the fringes of the participant pool. And but, a World Cup roster spot is on the desk. Actually, she stands out as the USWNT’s third-best central defender, which suggests Hayes’ envisioned future might come earlier than anticipated. Sadly together with her damage, now it is as much as the opposite gamers on the SheBelieves Cup camp to see if they’ll leapfrog her on the depth chart.